McCown will be the 23rd quarterback to start for the Browns since 1999 unless Johnny Manziel beats him out in training camp, in which case he will be a highly paid backup.

On Feb. 27, McCown signed a three-year, $14 million deal that will pay him $5.

]]>Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:51:01 -05002015-03-02T18:51:01-05:002015-03-02T18:51:01-05:00It was sweaty palms time for a while, but the Browns finally closed the deal. They won the coveted Josh McCown Sweepstakes.

You know what that means: The ball is now in the Patriots' court.

Your move, Belichick.

The Browns signing McCown raises the question of what either party found attractive about the other.

]]>Sat, 28 Feb 2015 18:32:57 -05002015-02-28T18:32:57-05:002015-02-28T18:32:57-05:00The bidding war by the Browns, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and Chicago Bears for Josh McCown illustrates how bare the cupboard is for NFL quarterbacks in 2015, including those coming out of college.

McCown is fresh off a 1-10 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who released him with one year left on a two-year contract he signed last year.

]]>Sat, 28 Feb 2015 18:27:57 -05002015-02-28T18:27:57-05:002015-02-28T18:27:57-05:00The Browns got the jump on the start of free agency next month and the draft April 30 on Feb. 27 by signing journeyman quarterback Josh McCown to a three-year contract.

McCown, 35, was 1-10 as a starter for the Buccaneers last season in his only year with Tampa Bay. He is 17-32 as a starter in a career that began in 2002 with the Arizona Cardinals.

]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2015 20:36:01 -05002015-02-27T20:36:01-05:002015-02-27T20:36:01-05:00Ray Farmer is not going to like the free advice offered by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper during a national teleconference on Feb. 26.

Kiper says the Browns not only should use the 12th pick of the draft on a wide receiver. He says they should consider trading up for Alabama star receiver Amari Cooper.

]]>Thu, 26 Feb 2015 19:22:16 -05002015-02-26T19:22:16-05:002015-02-26T19:22:16-05:00The Browns, in an effort to bolster their run blocking and pass protection, are interested in free-agent tight end James Casey.

ESPN was the first to report the blocking specialist will be visiting the Browns before free agency begins on March 10. Casey, 30, who caught three passes for 59 yards and two touchdowns in 2014, was released by the Eagles last week, which means he does not have to wait for the start of the new league year to sign with another team.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Goodell, Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, and Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat from California, wrote: "We urge you to create accountability at all levels of the NFL, particularly among team owners, who have the most direct financial incentives to avoid long-term suspensions and quickly get players back on the field.

]]>Wed, 25 Feb 2015 14:20:24 -05002015-02-25T14:20:24-05:002015-02-25T14:20:24-05:00CLEVELAND (AP) - Veteran free-agent quarterback Josh McCown spent a second day with the Browns, who could keep him around on a more permanent basis.

McCown, released last week by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was at the Browns' facility on Wednesday, a person familiar with the visit told The Associated Press.

]]>Wed, 25 Feb 2015 13:37:03 -05002015-02-25T13:37:03-05:002015-02-25T13:38:20-05:00The Browns have a new logo and they might soon have a new - at least different - quarterback on the roster.

Journeyman quarterback Josh McCown was in Berea on Feb. 24 for the start of a two-day visit, according to a league source.

Because the implication of the term "well enough" suggests a basic state of being that simply does not exist anywhere within the organization.

Virtually nothing connected to the Browns is well enough that, even if you had the means to do otherwise, you would be inclined to leave it alone.

]]>Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:51:32 -05002015-02-24T17:51:32-05:002015-02-24T17:51:32-05:00A comparison of the 2015 logos, on the left, to the 2014 logos.]]>After two years of working on the top-secret project, the Browns have released their new logo.

The new one, featuring the Browns' logoless helmet, was unveiled during a celebratory breakfast Feb. 24 at team headquarters in Berea.

It looks a lot like the old logo. The orange of the helmet is now brighter, and the facemask is brown instead of white.

]]>Tue, 24 Feb 2015 10:07:28 -05002015-02-24T10:07:28-05:002015-02-24T17:38:04-05:00A comparison of the 2015 logos, on the left, to the 2014 logos.]]>The Browns' best solution at quarterback, even if it isn't an ideal one, is to re-sign Brian Hoyer and hope Johnny Manziel develops, according to Todd McShay.

McShay on a conference call Feb. 23 said he does not see the Browns trading up for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, who is not expected to get past the New York Jets with the sixth pick.

]]>Mon, 23 Feb 2015 16:46:13 -05002015-02-23T16:46:13-05:002015-02-23T16:46:13-05:00LOS ANGELES - The Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers are planning a shared stadium in the Los Angeles area if both teams fail to get new stadium deals in their current hometowns, the teams said in a joint statement Thursday night, adding another layer of complexity to a possible NFL return to the region.]]>Fri, 20 Feb 2015 10:13:17 -05002015-02-20T10:13:17-05:002015-02-20T10:13:17-05:00At some point in the coming days or weeks Ray Farmer will learn his punishment for sending texts to the sideline during games. Then the Browns general manager can turn his full attention to making the team better - beginning with a quarterback.

Farmer, speaking for 15 minutes at the podium on Feb.

]]>Thu, 19 Feb 2015 14:41:14 -05002015-02-19T14:41:14-05:002015-02-19T15:17:31-05:00This isn't a shocker, but when it comes straight from the head coach, it illustrates just how dire the Browns' situation at quarterback is.

Mike Pettine, speaking at the podium during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 18, said the Browns have to find a starting quarterback for 2015 because they don't know what to expect from Johnny Manziel.